After a restful sleep, I awoke to the sun illuminating the pale fabric of my tent, to an extent that I was surprised it hadn't woken me sooner. I could hear a pair of woodpeckers jabbering, and some ducks down at the river. I couldn't see the ducks when I got up, but the river was sweeping by invitingly at the edge of the campground.

I was packing my stuff into garbage bags when I heard some of the guys talking to Sorry Mama. I glanced up and immediately saw that something was wrong. It was quickly determined that she was experiencing a medical emergency. We mobilized to get an ambulance and gather her essential documents (as she's from Canada and carries more than just a driver's license). Within a few minutes, she was on her way to the hospital and we had the outfitters coming to pick the rest of us, and the boats. We fully broke camp and got Sorry Mama's stuff packed up, then helped load the boats. I have to thank Shenandoah River Outfitters, as they got there quickly (to an unplanned location), then took us to Mountain Trails in Front Royal to drop off most of us and all of our stuff, then took a few people to the hospital to check on Sorry Mama.

Those of us who stayed at Mountain Trails got all of the gear in and waited for updates. The shop has a lounge for hikers, and a ‘base camp,’ with secure gear storage, showers, and laundry, all free of charge.

I got a call from one of the guys, saying they were moving Sorry Mama to another hospital, and she needed her stuff. I went into Mountain Trails and explained the situation, and a kind employee dropped everything and took me right then, then gave me and the others a ride back into town.

There was a bit of a pall over the day as we worried and wondered about Sorry Mama. But as we had done all we could and slowly accepted the situation, we started to appreciate the beautiful day and a town that had a lot to offer. I got a breakfast bar and free coffee from a local bakery, and the others enjoyed some half-price beer offered to hikers by a brewery. We got a room to split at a cheap motel, and took care of some town chores, in between calorie-rich meals from local spots. We closed out the night with a few games of darts at a sports bar.

We're getting back on the trail tomorrow. We'll be walking in the direction of the new hospital, and getting updates from Sorry Mama's son, who's kept us in the loop from his home in Vancouver Island. We're hoping for good news and a detour to go see her. I think we're all missing the trail a little, with its stable, calming energy. I, for one, am ready to drink it in.